Didn't see a thread on these lads so here we go......
One of my all time favourite thrash bands, their back catalogue is almost perfect. I'd seen they've announced a few Darkness Descends shows which had me reaching for the records again. But that said, it's been a hugely disappointing reunion, I looked it up and they reformed around 2013. Sporadic Shows and not a hint of a record dropping.
QuoteOne of my all time favourite thrash bands, their back catalogue is almost perfect. I'd seen they've announced a few Darkness Descends shows which had me reaching for the records again. But that said, it's been a hugely disappointing reunion, I looked it up and they reformed around 2013. Sporadic Shows and not a hint of a record dropping.
Agree, I love the Don Dotty era and Darkness Descends is an absolute Thrash classic - a killer L.A. band that don't get talked about as much as some of the SF Bay Area bands - I'd take Dark Angel over the likes of Vio-Lence, Death Angel, or Heathen etc. any day of the week!
I tried to get over to one of their Glasgow shows at some kinda fest in the Barrowlands a few years ago - but couldn't make it work. Would love to see them live - especially doing these Darkness Descends shows. Vaguely remember Dotty being "involved" when this reunion was announced, but it seem to be shot down by the other guys for whatever reason and it ended up a reunion with Rinehart up front instead... "time" had not been kind to Dotty from looking at the pictures back in 2013!
With Hoglan out of Testament and no mission of an SYL reunion this could be his main focus and we might hopefully see much more touring activity and a new album!
I really thought Hoglan quietening down with other projects would've moved things along a bit but it still seems fairly slow.
And you're dead right for some reason they don't get the airtime they should, I'd even take them over Exodus, Overkill etc !!!
I read an interview with Hoglan a while back that he has most of the material written for a new album and they're hoping to get it tracked and released by the end of this year. Pretty sure one of the reasons for leaving Testament was to give a lot more time to Dark Angel
I started with Leave Scars and loved Time Does Not Heal when it came out. I only got Darkness Descends a few years later, so I'm happy with Rinehart. I'd love to hear a new album from them.
Loved Time Does Not Heal at the time, haven't heard it in an age. I much prefer Rhinehart's vocals - come to think of it I don't think I've heard Darkness Descends. I didn't think much of We Have Arrived so didn't bother with the pre-Leave Scars material after that. Great performance on the 3-Way Thrash video.
I read something on their Facebook page about a new album, so it must be in the works alright.
It seems like Hoglan just has a standard line whenever a new album is mentioned in an interview. "We're planning on releasing the new album next year." year in year out.
Only know Darkness Descends but its an unreal album. I'd 100% agree that it tops the bands mentioned.
Leave Scars and Time Does Not Heal are cool but I rarely find myself reaching for them. I love the intricate riffing but the songs are not that memorable. We Have Arrived is grand but nothing special.
Darkness Descends is one of the greatest metal albums ever. Borders on death metal at times, especially during Hunger of The Undead and Perish In Flames. No idea how they kept everything in time at those speeds. Hoglan is an absolute machine. Maybe it's just the production but he seems to absolutely beat the fuck out of the drums on every single track.
Gas to see Slayer interviews from that time basically saying that Dark Angel were much faster and heavier than them.
Quote from: Slaughterday on January 13, 2023, 09:22:18 AMDarkness Descends is one of the greatest metal albums ever. Borders on death metal at times, especially during Hunger of The Undead and Perish In Flames. No idea how they kept everything in time at those speeds. Hoglan is an absolute machine. Maybe it's just the production but he seems to absolutely beat the fuck out of the drums on every single track.
His instructional drumming dvd is great, his style and practice might have changed since the old Dark Angel days but he just looks so relaxed and laid back while absolutely ripping through songs
Quote from: Slaughterday on January 13, 2023, 09:22:18 AMLeave Scars and Time Does Not Heal are cool but I rarely find myself reaching for them. I love the intricate riffing but the songs are not that memorable. We Have Arrived is grand but nothing special.
Darkness Descends is one of the greatest metal albums ever. Borders on death metal at times, especially during Hunger of The Undead and Perish In Flames. No idea how they kept everything in time at those speeds. Hoglan is an absolute machine. Maybe it's just the production but he seems to absolutely beat the fuck out of the drums on every single track.
Gas to see Slayer interviews from that time basically saying that Dark Angel were much faster and heavier than them.
you'd wonder why Slayer made it bigger and appealed to more people than they did. Darkness descends is a great album
Quoteyou'd wonder why Slayer made it bigger and appealed to more people than they did
Not really?
Show No Mercy
Hell Awaits
Reign In Blood
South Of Heaven
Seasons In The Abyss
Very few that have a run of albums like that + they worked their bollocks off touring wise so not really that much of a mystery.
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on January 13, 2023, 12:45:21 PMQuoteyou'd wonder why Slayer made it bigger and appealed to more people than they did
Not really?
Show No Mercy
Hell Awaits
Reign In Blood
South Of Heaven
Seasons In The Abyss
Very few that have a run of albums like that + they worked their bollocks off touring wise so not really that much of a mystery.
did Dark Angel not tour that much?
Ah they toured alright just not as much as the Metallicas, Slayers etc
At the end of the day they Didn't Write a Raining Blood or Angel of Death.
Didn't Dave Lombardo also accredit his style to Hoglan!?
Hoglan was drum tech for Lombardo in the early Slayer days.
Leave Scars for me all the way..probably cos it was the first I've heard, and I know people hate the production but it's got it all, speed, agression and absolute HEFT. The riff directly after the chorus in the title track (the little breakdown bit) makes me want to smash things. And "Thr Promise of Agony" is a fucking masterpiece.
'Time Does Not Heal' is their best/strongest for me. Think Gene wrote lot of the riffs on that one? I remember picking up the double gatefold lp of it on release day and obsessing over it for weeks/months🤘
Quote from: Pentagrimes on January 14, 2023, 10:56:59 AMLeave Scars for me all the way..probably cos it was the first I've heard, and I know people hate the production but it's got it all, speed, agression and absolute HEFT. The riff directly after the chorus in the title track (the little breakdown bit) makes me want to smash things. And "Thr Promise of Agony" is a fucking masterpiece.
There is, however, the little matter of the awful cover of Immigrant Song... way worse than any of, say, Megadeth's covers. Otherwise, good album. Not sure which of the four I prefer though, never really thought about it tbh.
RE: Touring - I remember an interview in Snakepit Zine with one of the guys a few years back and they basically couldn't get Don Doty and (I think) Jim Durkin to leave California. So that couldn't have helped.